THERACAT is an international and multidisciplinary consortium aiming at the training of 13 ESRs on the innovative topic of novel bio-orthogonal catalysis-based tools for cancer therapy. This ETN comprises 6 academic partners, 3 industrial partners active in the pharmaceutical market (1 large pharmaceutical company, Teva, and 2 SMEs, BiogelX and Tagworks) and 3 partners with focus on science communication (Cancer research UK), gender and minorities (UAB-Observatory for Equality) and management and entrepreneurship (ESADE business school). The combination of academic, private and society-involved organisations will provide a broad training for the 13 ESRs recruited, equipping them with the necessary skills to succeed as scientists, industrial researchers and entrepreneurs. The development of novel cancer therapies is a major challenge for academic research and pharmaceutical industries. THERACAT aims to establish a training programme focused on the development of THERApeutic CATalysts. In this strategy, materials bearing a catalytic unit are delivered to the tumour and subsequently non-active prodrugs are administered. The prodrugs are non-toxic and therefore generate limited side effects. Only at the tumour site the catalytic particles convert the prodrugs into active compounds that generate a therapeutic effect. This approach presents several advantages on the classical drug delivery paradigm including limited side effects and prolonged efficacy. This multidisciplinary research programme will be the setting for the training of 13 ESRs. The combination of the research expertise, the cutting-edge facilities and the complementary skills present in the consortium holds a great promise for the advancement of their careers, as well as of the knowledge of catalysis-based anticancer therapies and the development of marketable technologies and products.

There are three main drivers for the development of bioenergy and biofuels in the UK: Energy Security, Climate Change and Rural Development. Demand for oil is rising both from developed and developing countries and renewable alternatives are critical to ensure UK energy-security. Biofuels are fuels that are produced from plant material and are therefore renewable and will contribute to UK energy security. Biofuels also have the potential to deliver significant reductions in emissions provided that all stages of the supply chain are properly assessed and optimised. Lignocellulosic (plant cell wall) material is a valuable source of energy that can be derived from biomass crops and agricultural residues such as straw and spent grains. In addition this material may be derived from waste produced by industries that utilise wood and its derivatives. Harnessing the potential of lignocellulosic materials for the production of biofuels requires the deconstruction of plant cell walls using biological, chemical and physical processes to produce a fermentable feedstock. Furthermore it is essential that the processes developed limit the formation of toxic by-products (known as inhibitors) that reduce the potential for efficient fermentation. The fermentation of the liberated feedstock requires the development of appropriate strains that can use the range of sugars that comprise the cell wall whilst tolerating the process and product derived stresses. It is now vital that the UK addresses the challenge of effectively using lignocellulosic feedstocks to generate biofuels. To address this need, we will identify methods of feedstock production from plant cell wall materials that maximise sugar release but limit inhibitor formation. Furthermore we will develop super-tolerant yeast strains that can optimally ferment a range of sugars to form the biofuel ethanol. To achieve these aims Nottingham will build UK capacity in bioenergy and biofuels expertise by recruiting and training new talent and collaborating with multiple universities, institutes and companies. We will harness Nottingham's world class expertise in Fermentation, Microbiology and Biochemical Engineering, in close collaboration with Food scientists, Agricultural scientists and Social scientists. The University of Nottingham, which has international level researchers in all of these areas, will work in close collaboration with the Universities of Bath, Cambridge, Dundee, York, Newcastle and Surrey and Universities and Institutes in Africa, Europe, New Zealand and the USA. We will also work closely with Industry. We will focus on the generation of bioethanol from the lignocellulosic biomass including excess straw, spent grains and waste generated from food production. The processes used for this conversion will be optimized to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and maximize energy output. Waste materials produced from the process will be harnessed by identification of potential co-products streams including the production of materials for the construction industry and to produce non-liquid fuels. We propose to: (1) increase the UK scientific expertise in lignocellulosic digestion and fermentation; (2) develop the scientific foundations of technologies by identifying robust yeast strains that can be improved to enable them to utilize lignocellulosic feedstocks (3) ensure that the processes developed maximise energy outputs and minimise greenhouse gas emissions; and (4) provide avenues for the implementation of these technologies in industry whilst actively communicating our research with the wider global community.

Approximately one third of all food produced globally is wasted every year throughout the whole value chain-from farmers to consumers. To extract the significant amounts of valuable compounds contained in these wastes, AgriMax will combine affordable and flexible processing technologies (ultrasound assisted and solvent extraction, filtration, thermal and enzymatic treatments) for the valorization of side streams from the horticultural culture and food processing industry to be used in a cooperative approach by local stakeholders. Through the selection of case-scenarios previously developed to a pilot scale by the participating RTOs and their industrial transfer in new applications as food additives, packaging and agricultural materials among others, the project will disclose the holistic potential of four new agro-value chains (residues and by products from the culture and processing of tomato, cereals, olives, potato). Any by-product generated along the production cycle will be valorized in a cascade manner to reach over 40% of high value use of the waste. This will lead to additional production of active ingredients in lower concentration, but also fibres, biogas and fertilizers from the left biomass (the latter with the aim of being used in closed loop in the culture of the crops used in the project to prevent soil impoverishing). An LCA and LCC will also study the best approach to minimize the environmental impact of the new value chains without jeopardizing the cost effectiveness of the operations. The pilot multi-feedstock bio-refinery processes will be validated in two demonstration sites in Spain and Italy. Societal, ethical, safety, techno-feasibility and regulatory aspects will be studied. Last but not least, a business model and platform for communication between the potential raw materials suppliers will be set up to maximize the use of the cooperative treatment plants throughout the year.